A new project will strengthen the innovation function of the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC).

It was hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), and promotes innovative climate change solutions for the Pacific region with the involvement of the private sector.

Chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of Samoa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi, representatives from partner agencies of the PCCC Project for Innovative Solutions for Pacific Climate Change Resilience, gathered at SPREP’s headquarters in Vailima to review PCCC's activities and achievements in 2023 and 2024.

They also discussed the concept note for the first training, and activities of the innovation function of PCCC linked to the project, including the Pacific Climate Change Innovation Exhibition 2024 and the Innovative Climate Finance Investment Hub.

The project commenced in March 2024. It is being implemented in partnership with the PCCC, SPREP, the Government of Samoa, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Ms Simi said the project is extremely important to promote innovative climate change solutions in a region where leaders have identified climate change as the most existential threat to our communities and livelihoods. She spoke about what Samoa hopes to gain from the project and highlighted the importance of reviewing and reflecting on progress.  Ms Simi also expressed gratitude to PCCC, the Government of Japan, and JICA for their cooperation.

Adviser of the Climate Change Resilience Programme at SPREP, Timothy Breese, emphasised that the project is a critical step forward for the Pacific region and will contribute to fostering climate-resilient development and pave the way towards a prosperous future.

Resident Representative of the JICA Samoa Office, Ms. Yumiko Asakuma, expressed gratitude to the participants and acknowledged the project's uniqueness. She expects that the knowledge and experience acquired by PCCC through the project will be shared and applied for further partnership among other Pacific Island countries and different regions.

Manager of PCCC, Ofa Kaisamy, expressed her gratitude to the Government of Samoa, Government of Japan, Australia and New Zealand for their support to the PCCC.